Agenda and minutes

Councillors Carol Melvin and Robin Sansarpuri.

None.

Agreed as accurate records.

It was agreed that all items of business were considered in public.

Members were reminded that at their meeting on 15 October 2008 consideration was given to a Cabinet report on Setting High Ethical Standards, which provided details of the outcomes of an audit undertaken by the Audit Commission in January 2008 in relation to the Council’s ethical governance arrangements. Details of the implementation of the action plan were reported.

There was ongoing progress with the actions but work needed to be carried out to produce a comprehensive communications strategy in the next 6 months with a regular series of articles to appear for staff on line and as part of internal communications. Members asked that the staff newsletter be circulated to all Members of the Council.

Resolved –

1.      That the information provided be noted and officers be asked to report back to this Committee if there were any concerns in relation to the Council’s ethical governance arrangements. 

-    To consider the Cabinet report on Road Safety Update.

Consideration was given to a draft Cabinet report on the Road Safety Plan Update which Members had requested to comment on before its submission to Cabinet.

The report reviewed the progress with the Road Safety Plan for the Borough, which was intended to assist in the reduction of road accident casualties and to endorse measures to help address traffic displacement onto residential streets.

Members welcomed and commended the author of the report. Discussion took place on petitions relating to road safety and how Members could help residents who were confused with the procedure. The Committee suggested that in relation to petitions for road safety and traffic calming measures that all Members be provided with a petition pack giving Members instructions and guidance notes on the types of traffic calming measures that were relevant in certain circumstances. This could also include the process for petitioning and petition templates, in order to help and assist residents to more closely target suitable and relevant measures that the Council would feel able to support and thereafter install.

This petition pack and guidance notes could also be made available on the Council’s website, in libraries and given out to street champions and could also be publicised in Hillingdon People and on Council controlled notice boards.     

 Resolved –

1.  That the comments of this Committee be included in the report which is submitted to Cabinet.  

Discussion took place on possible reviews for the Committee to undertaker as part of its work programme for 2009/10.

Officers had looked at the Mayor of London’s policies to enable consideration to be given to potential reviews that this Committee could undertake. Reference was made to the Outer London Commission (OLC) which the Mayor of London had set up to investigate how outer London Boroughs could play a fuller part in the City’s economic success. The OLC was established to help deliver one of the aspirations for the new London Plan which was to address more positively the quality of life, social, environmental and transport challenges facing outer London and to provide a strategic framework to enable boroughs and others to work together to build on its many strengths.

One of the initial areas the OLC was to look at, included the development of ‘super-hubs’ and looking at the wider rejuvenation of Outer London’s town centres and other business locations. There was opposition to this from both West London Alliance and West London Business.

A second area the Committee could look at was the economic downturn and the response to it. The Mayor for London had published and Economic Recovery Action Plan which included a wide range of measures aimed at supporting businesses and people through the recession. Officers of this Council had set up a Credit Crunch Group which monitored the impact of the recession on Hillingdon and undertaking such a review would complement the work undertaken as part of the wireless review.

Another possible area for the Committee to look at was the economic effects of a pandemic and its effects on Council services and the residents of the Borough. This was particular pertinent in light of the swine flu pandemic which had spread worldwide. Possible areas to look at included looking at how the Council and its partners could mitigate the impact of a pandemic.

Resolved –

1.      That a scoping report be prepared on the economic effects of a pandemic and its effects on Council services and residents.

2.  That an extra meeting of this Committee takes place on 7 July to agree the scoping report for the review.